(Sports Network) - A week after getting shut out in Toronto, the Ottawa
Senators will have revenge on the mind when they host the Maple Leafs in
Saturday's battle at Scotiabank Place.
Toronto posted a 3-0 win over the Senators last Saturday in this season's
first installment of the Battle of Ontario. Ben Scrivens posted 34 stops for
his first career shutout, while Frazer McLaren, John-Michael Liles and Tyler
Bozak provided the goals for the Maple Leafs.
It was Toronto's third straight win in this series and the club's fifth in
eight games against the Senators. The clubs have split the last 12 encounters
overall, but the Leafs have won two straight and four of five in Ottawa.
However, Ottawa has won three straight since last Saturday's loss in Toronto,
including the first two tests of a four-game homestand. The Senators are now
7-1-2 on home ice and riding a three-game winning streak at Scotiabank Place.
The Senators last played on Thursday when they notched a come-from-behind win
over the New York Rangers. Kaspars Daugavins scored the deciding goal in the
seventh round of the shootout to lift Ottawa to a 3-2 victory.
Mika Zibanejad scored with 6:30 remaining in regulation to force overtime,
while Ben Bishop shined during the shootout phase after being pressed into
duty for an injured Craig Anderson. The backup netminder turned back six of
the seven New York skaters he faced after letting up a pair of third-period
goals less than a minute apart in his relief stint.
Anderson was forced out of the contest with an apparent right leg injury
following a hard collision with the Rangers' Chris Kreider 1:43 into the third
period. He stopped all 21 shots he faced before departing, with Bishop making
11 saves on 13 chances prior to the shootout.
Anderson is expected to sit out at least the next several days and Ottawa has
recalled Robin Lehner from Binghamton of the American Hockey League to fill
his spot.
Jacob Silfverberg also scored in regulation for the Senators, who are on their
longest winning streak since beginning the season with a 3-0 record.
"We played a hard game," Senators coach Paul MacLean said. "When we went down
I thought we played our best. We have great leadership on this team."
The Senators are 3-1-0 since losing top defenseman Erik Karlsson for the
season following an injury to his left Achilles tendon that required surgery.
Toronto has won three of its last four games and the club is 7-2-0 in its past
nine trips to the rink.
The Maple Leafs last played on Thursday, when they posted a 3-1 regulation win
over the visiting Buffalo Sabres. James van Riemsdyk scored twice while Dion
Phaneuf added a goal and an assist for Toronto, while Ben Scrivens posted 31
saves in the win.
Van Riemsdyk has a team-best 11 goals this season, his first with the Maple
Leafs after being acquired in a trade with Philadelphia last summer.
"He has been great for us this year," said Toronto head coach Randy Carlyle
about van Riemsdyk. "He's a hard worker and he loves to learn about the sport.
He's just going to get better and better as time goes on. He has size and he
can skate, those are two good qualities to have in this league."
Toronto is playing the first of two straight on the road and has a 7-3-0
record as the guest this season. The Leafs will close their brief swing Monday
night in Philadelphia.
The Sports Network